1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the fabrication of composite trailers of steel and aluminum components that require the joining of two dissimilar materials in a strong durable joint.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior art methods and structures of this type have relied on a variety of different joining techniques to address the problems of joining aluminum alloys to ferrous alloys as the result of metallurgical incompatibility as is evident when mechanical fasteners are used with a transition bracket. Such mechanical fasteners and bracket techniques often fail when exposed to the over the road environment due to the different rates of flexibility inherent between aluminum alloys and ferrous metals, fasteners often work loose. Corrosion and galvanic reactions between dissimilar trailer components tend to shorten the trailer's useful life by premature failure at critical joints of intersecting materials, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,281,235, 3,975,612, 3,872,577, 3,664,816, 3,597,832, 3,460,235, 3,460,235, 3,175,284, 3,295,197, 3,100,338, additional U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,600,140, 2,758,870, 4,212,405 and 4,904,017.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,235 a method for welding ferrous alloys to aluminum and aluminum alloys utilizes coating a portion of the ferrous alloys to be welded with an intermediate material compound or element such as gold alloy or silver and then directing an accelerated particle beam at the area to be welded, etc.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,612 a welding method for dissimilar metals is disclosed wherein a filler metal is deposited on one end of a dissimilar metal to be joined with the filler metal being the same material as that of the other of said dissimilar materials.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,577 a method of manufacturing a conductor rail is disclosed which utilizes a rail of aluminum body and a steel element by liquifying a portion of the adjacent layer and joining the two materials together without formation of an intermediate metallic layer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,816 a steel to aluminum transition piece is disclosed in which the transition joint of the disclosure is formed by making a pressure weld between aluminum alloy and steel through a special aluminous bonding element. The aluminous bonding element is primarily aluminum with the transition material being stainless steel as the steel element.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,832 a inertia welding of steel to aluminum process is disclosed which utilizes the conical projection of parts which are spun welded by friction to one another.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,235 the welding of a transition piece is disclosed in which a transition piece is formed by welding a tube of the first metal to a tube of the second metal by friction welding thus providing the ability of working the transition piece to produce a thin transition piece as having good mechanical properties.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,284 a method of friction welding of dissimilar metals is disclosed in which one of the surfaces rotated relative to the other surface so as to generate heat for the welding process.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,197 a stainless steel clad with aluminum composition metal configuration is disclosed in which stainless steel sheets are bonded to aluminum to provide a highly desirous component material.
Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,338 a method of joining is disclosed which relates to the joining of aluminum metal to refractory hard metals into a flux composition which is used in the joining process.